Adjustable and collapsible supporting structure



May 26, 1942.

c. T. SHOOP EIAL ADJUSTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 1, 1940 ZSheets-Sheet l a a v a G 3 3 '4 lfi 0 a a 1 0 6 I Z .F U #7 u N A Z v INVENTORS CHARLES 7. 5/100! BY [HOW/4R0 601 's firmwa e-rs May 26, 1942,

ll lml" C. T. SHOOP ET AL ADJ USTA B LE AND COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed NOV. 1, 1940 III/I) 'IIIIIlI/Ir/IIII/III ZSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CHARLES T. 3H00P H0 WARD 6-0115 mix-w 14 TTORNEYS Patented May 26, 1942 ADJUSTABLE AND OOLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT- ING STRUCTURE Charles T. Shoop, College Point, and Howard ,Gohs, Elmhurst, N. Y.

Application November 1, 1940, Serial No. 363,858

4 Claims. (01. sin-95) This invention relates generally to supports and refers more particularly to an improved supporting leg structure for tables or similar articles.

The invention broadly comprehends a supporting leg structure which is so constructed and arranged as to permit of the compact folding of the legs to occupy a minimum amount of space when not in use as well as the setting up of the legs to provide a support which may be varied in height and locked in its variously adjusted positions.

More particularly the invention comprehends a multiple cross leg support in which a plurality of-pairs of pivotally connected cross legs are arranged to dispose said pairs respectively in planes at an angle to and intersecting each other for extending the legs to set up condition and forcollapsing the same to a compact arrangement, together with a common means for locking the cross legs of said pairs in variously extended angular relations so as to vary the hei ht of the support.

The invention has in view a table or similar support provided with an'extensible and. collapsible'supporting leg structure consisting of a pair of cross legs pivotally connected together adjacent their longitudinal centers on a'radial axis perpendicular to the direction of extension thereof and a second pair of cross legs similarly connected together adjacent their longitudinal centers on a radial axis perpendicular to the direction of extension thereof and intersecting the pivotal axis of theother pair and said pairs of cross legs being slidably andpivotally connected at their upper ends with the support for movement of the legs of each pair in parallel planes, the planes of movement of one pair of legs being at an angle to and intersecting the planes of movement of the other pair, and racks connected with the legs respectively and engaged by a pinion for synchronizing the movement of the legs to andrfrom extended and collapse'dcondition with reference to the support.

With the above and other objects view, the invention is set forth in greater detail in the followingspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a table provided with an adjustable and collapsible supporting leg structure constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the same in collapsible condition.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view with the leg structure exup condition with parts to disclose the tended and locked in set broken away and shown in section underlying structure.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of on intersecting axes perpendicular to the direction of opening and closing movement of the legs and are carried by a common central block 20. Under this arrangement the pair of cross legs I2 and l3 are disposed in parallel planes and. the pair of cross'legs l4 and I5 are disposed in parallel planes perpendicular to the planes of the legs l2 and I3 and intersect the same to permit of the, extension of the legs to set up condition and the collapsing of the-same to a compact arrangement where the legs may be nested within the flanged table top.

The upper end of each leg is connected for sliding and swinging movement with the underside of the table top by means of a transverse pin 2| engaging through a slot 22 in a bracket 23 dependingfrom the underside of the table top [0 and preferably, as illustrated, the brackets 23' and Y the legs [2, l3, l4 and [5 are disposed diagonally of the table top. As illustrated, each of the legs is composed of a pair of spaced parallel straps 25 secured together at points intermediate the ends by spacer blocks 26 and at the lower ends bya foot piece 21 with the bolts or rivets 28 extending through the spacer blocks and foot pieces. The legs l2 and I3 adjacent their pivotal connection with the trunnions are oppositely notched as at 8B and 3|, and the legs l4 and I5 'are similarly notched as at 32 and.33 so that the legs when collapsed will permit of the nesting of the correspondingly notched portions thus allowing the legs to lie within a common plane.

Thus when collapsed, the notched portions 30 of the legs I2 and I3 nest with the notched portions 32 of the legs 14 and I5, while the notched portions 3| of the legs I2 and I3 nest with the notched portions 33 of the legs I4 and 15.

In order to synchronize the movement of all of the cross legs, a rack bar 35 is pivotally conandintersecting the pivotal axes of the other pair 4 legs, racks pivotally connected to the legs respecside'of the top and the upper ends of the legs nected as at 36 with each cross leg at a corresponding distance from the trunnion, and the, rack bars of one pair of cross legs intersect those of the other pair in overlapping relation and extend through guide slots 31 in a housing 38 with the teeth 39 of the several rack bars meshing with the teeth 40 of a common pinion 4| which is keyed to a shaft 42 journaled in the housing 38 The shaft 42 extends above the housing and has r keyed thereto an exposed pinion 43 with the teeth of which a detent lever 44 is selectively engaged to lock the pinion 4| against turning movement; The detent lever is pivoted as at 45 on th e'hous ing '38 and is normally urged. into engagement with the teeth by a spring 46 andis manually 1-5 releasable by swinging of the lever against the action of the spring.

Fromthe' foregoing it will thus be seen that a supporting leg structure for tables or other articles has been devised in which the legs may not only be moved to and from a compact collapsible condition to an extendedsupporting position, but that the legs may be variously extended and locked in the variously extended positions toprovide a support which is adjustable in 5 height.

What is claimed is: I 1

1. In a table, a top and an extensible and collapsible supporting'leg structure'including a pair of crossed legs pivotally connected together ad jacent their longitudinal centers on a radial axis perpendicular tothe direction of extension of the leg structure, a second pair of crossed legsrpivotally connected together Fadjacent their longi-; tudinal centers, on a radial axis perpendicular to 65 the, direction of extension of the leg structure of legs, interengageable means carried respectively by the undersideof the topfand the upper 'endsof the legs slidably and pivotallyconnectin'g the legs .to the top for *combined sliding'and swinging movement of the upper ends of the legs of-ieach pair towards and away. from each other in parallel planes, the planes o'f-movement of one Q pair of legs being at anangle to and intersecting the planesiof movement of the other pairs of tively, and a pinion carried by said racks engaging the same for synchronizing, the movement of the legs to andfrom extended and collapsed condition with reference to the top. 7

2., Ina table, a top and an extensible and col- 7 lapsible supporting leg structure including a pair ,of crossed legs pivotally connected togetherlinp spaced relation adjacent their longitudinal centers on a radial axis perpendicular tothe direction of extensionof theleg structure, a second i pair of crossed legs pivotally connected together in spaced relation adjacent their longitudinal centers on a radial axis perpendicular to the di- 0 rection of extension of the leg structure and intersecting the pivotal axes of the other. pair of legs, means connecting the pairs of legs together at the intersection'of the pivotal axes, interengageable means carried respectively by the undere slidably and pivotally connecting the legs to the top for combined sliding and swinging movement of the upperends of the legs of each pair towards and away from each other in parallel planes, the planesof movement of one pair of legs being at anlangle to and intersecting the planes of movement of the other pairs of legs, racks pivotally connected to the legs respectively, and a cent their longitudinal centers on a radial axis perpendicular to the direction of extension of the leg structure, a second pair of cross legs pivotally connected together adjacent their longitudinal centers on a radial axis perpendicular to the direction of extension of the leg structure and intersecting the-pivotal axes of the other pair of legs, interengageable means carriedrespectively by the underside of the top and the upper ends of the legs slidably and pivotally connecting the legs to the top for combined sliding and swinging movement of'the upper ends of the legs of each pair towards "and away from each other in parallel planes, the planes of movement of'one pair of legs being at an angle to and intersecting the planes of movement of the other pairs of legs, racks pivotally connected to the legs respectively, a slotted'housing through which the racks extend, a pinion journaled in saidhousing with whichjsaid racks engage for synchronizing the movement of the legs, an exposed pinion secured ,to' ther'ack engaging pinion and a manually releasable spring pressed detent lever selectively engaged ther'ewith for locking the legs in colflapsed and variously extended positions ,to vary the height of the table.

' 4. In a table, a top and an extensible supportin'gleg structure therefor including a plurality of pairs of cross legs, means pivotally connecting the legs of each pair together intermediate their 3 ends for movement in parallel planes, means slidably and pivotally'connecting "the upper ends of said legs with theunderside of the table top, means of connection between the pairs of cross legs at their point of pivotal connection with :each other for disposing the same for movement of one pair in planes perpendicular to the-. anes oi movement of the other pair, a common means of connection between the several pairs of cross legs carried by said legs and locatedintermediate their pivotal connection with each other and their 'slidable andj pivotal connections with the table top for synchronizing the ,movement thereofto and from collapsed and extendedvrelation,.and,,means for locking said legs in ,col-

lapsed} and various extended positions to vary the height of the table. I f CHARLES.T.-SHOOP.

, HOWARD GOH S. 

